Growing business momentum for an ambitious legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution
The David Attenborough narrated series ‘Blue Planet II’ that aired in 2017 was watched by millions around the world and credited with raising awareness of the problems associated with plastic pollution. This resulted in consumers demanding governments, supermarkets and companies to act, leading to partial or full bans of plastic bags in more than 77 countries and Canada and the EU banning single-use plastics.
Sadly though, the problem of plastic pollution is still very real and growing. As well as impacting marine wildlife and potentially human health, it costs society trillions of dollars every year in damaged and lost resources.
After years of campaigning from all parts of society, in February 2022, Heads of State and representatives from 175 nations adopted a historic resolution agreeing to develop a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution by the end of 2024.
In February 2022, 175 nations adopted a historic resolution at UNEA agreeing to develop a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution by the end of 2024. Photo: UNEP
In this critical decade of planetary action, we need bold leadership in addressing the interlinked crises of nature loss, climate change, health and inequality. We are losing nature at an ever-increasing rate, with more than 1 million species threatened with extinction.
Plastic pollution is a significant driver of marine biodiversity loss, from animals ingesting plastic bags to entire habitats polluted with microplastic. While plastic can provide important benefits, it also comes with a number of negative impacts, polluting our planet and contributing to increased greenhouse gas emissions. Without urgent action, the estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic currently entering the ocean annually will triple in the next twenty years.
11 million metric tons of plastic are entering the ocean annually. This number will triple in the next twenty years. Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash.
This is why more than 140 companies including Coca Cola, Unilever, Nestlé, IKEA, H&M Group and Walmart have signed a statement calling for an ambitious agreement to address plastic pollution at a global scale. This rallying cry from business played a critical role in helping land the UN Environment Assembly resolution earlier this year.
Business for Nature welcomes this statement from businesses which provides a strong signal of their commitment to ending plastic pollution. And the business case is clear: a legally binding agreement will contribute to addressing the plastics crisis and create the conditions through which our planet—and business—can sustainably thrive.
The next step is for governments to make progress: develop and adopt an ambitious and binding international agreement. Meetings are already underway, with preparatory sessions taking place in Dakar, Senegal next week with organizations such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, WWF, the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development actively participating. This paves the way for the first round of meaningful negotiations organized by the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) in November.
Business for Nature stands ready to work in partnership with UNEP and governments to ensure the adoption of an ambitious agreement, calling on governments to:
Reduce virgin plastic production and use, and decouple plastic production from the consumption of fossil resources
Set a clear direction to understand the causes of plastic pollution and a shared approach to address them
Provide robust governance to ensure countries’ participation and compliance, with common definitions as well as consistent standards applicable to all.
A legally binding and ambitious global agreement will create a level playing field and the right conditions for a circular economy to work at scale. In turn, this leads to investment in infrastructure, innovation and skills, particularly in countries and industries most in need of support.
Companies who would like to become more involved in the discussions about a global plastics treaty, are encouraged to join the call for an ambitious UN treaty via the dedicated website.
“We are producing twice as much plastic as two decades ago. Only a small portion gets recycled, and plastic is having huge consequences for ecosystems and the environment.
Business for Nature welcomes and supports a strong call from leading businesses asking for an ambitious treaty on plastic pollution.
As well as contributing directly to the achievement of a transformative Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, it is essential to achieving a nature-positive world.”